>> my wife is a church organist and after she plays the post leu tkurbgs she plays happ leud. >> happy birthday to you. if you're serving in our armed services we appreciate you and honor you as well. >> thanks for waking up with us, god bless and merry christmas. >> merry christmas.

>> good morning, everyone. i have the biggest smile on my nice because it's december 25th. merry christmas to all all viewers across the country, around the world and to our servicemen and women keeping us safe overseas today and their families. i want to show you a live look of presiden bethlehem, we'll be back there in a moment. i'm jaime colby. >> i'm kelly wright, we are glad your here. >> we have a very important show ahead. fox news alert in upstate new york as authorities piece together what led to a gunman opening fire yesterday on christmas eve at four firefighters ballistic link and i tense inferno. police say the gunman set his house on fire to lure the first responders, then proceeded to ambush them, killing two and

occurring two others. the gunman dent find as an ex-con then willed himself. police have the gruesome task of looking for more victims in the charred ruins. >> the fire has it under control. there are seven houses totally distrade at the scene. there is still an active crime scene. we have yet to get into any of the homes. >> our david lee miller is following this story live from our new york sued those. david lee these are first responders doing what they do best going into the scene of a fire and never expected anything like this especially on christmas eve. >> that's what made the story especially tragic. now the questions, are there more victims? what was the mow tpeuf for th motive for the ambush that killed two firefighters. a hundred people attended a memorial vigil last night.

mourners held tphours and carried a handwritten sign that said thanks for protecting us, rest in piece. the sue wounded firefighters remain in guarded condition at a rochester hospital. the tragedy unfolded early yesterday morning when they sp-pbded to a blaze and were met with gun fire. one of the firefighters called a radio dispatcher for help, listen. >> beer being shot at. multiple firemen down, i am shot, i think it's an assault rifle. we have multiple firemen down. a working fire. >> local police arrived and exchanged gunfire with the shooter, 62-year-old william spangle remember. he then took his own life shooting himself in the head. he served 17 jurors in prison on a manslaughter conviction for beating his grandmother to death with a hammer. he was released in 1998 and on

parole until a year ago. he snapped and went on a deadly rampage. his past raises certificate why iraises serious questions about how he was able to obtain firearms. >> spangler was a convicted felon, he's not allowed to possess weapons. did he legally possess the weapons? no. >> we've had all kinds of weapons larcenies, in wayne county and around, we don't know where the guns came from. still missing is his 68-year-old sister with whom he had a strange relationship. the fire made it difficult to search for other victims. when his mother died two years ago the obituary asked for donations to the west webster

fireman's association, the very same department where the victims all served as volunteers. >> what a grim story on this christmas day. we appreciate that update, please keep us informed as we continue to follow the story. jaime. >> a u.s. airways jet briefly catching fire at sky harbor airport in phoenix. a spokesperson for the airlines says the crews were running maintenance jets on the jet's actio auction power system. no injuries reported. >> po*ep depope benedict xvi r-r deliverindelivering the christmas day message appealing for the end of the blood sed taking place in syria and playing for israelis and

palestinians to find the courage to negotiate a lasting peace. yesterday the pope talked about the lure of technology taking time away from war shopping god. >> pilgrims from around the world flock to belles a to bethlehem lining up to see the birthplace of jesus. leland vittert live from bethlehem, sending christmas greetings to us like nobody else can. merry christmas to you. >> reporter: you're right it is really a roo tphaoebg and magical place on earth to be for chris nass. i'm going t christmas. you see the christmas tree all lit up and past that the church of the nativity where tonight there are a couple of thousands of people lined up trying to head inside and down to the bible when th grothe tow where the bible said jesus was born

two m ma malennia go. the pope took a political penned talking about the nation of palestine certainly on the mind of a lot of people here, a lot of locals in bethlehem and the west bank. nobody really does christmas celebrations like they do in the west bank. palestinian boy scouts marched in with snare drums through the streets down the star road, the famous road that lead into bet louisian bethlehem. there were boy scouts that were here that said it's different from anything you have in the united states. it is much about faith and spirituality of the thousands that come visit at christmastime. they also say that simply seeing all this and getting a sense of

the geography filled in, one person said all the gaps in the bible, its one thing to read about it, it's another to tut lee be here and experiencto be here and experience it. >> fierce fighting in syria. near the border with turkey rebel forces had sounded a town for weeks laying siege before making the final push tkafrplt thpush today. the regime of bashar al-assad has losing control of the territory in the pass few months. >> many u.s. servicemen are expressing a desire to be with their families. for now they have each other and a pretty nice spread to boot. >> i wish i could be home with

family and friends but all the people are so cool. >> this is a time where everyone gets together and shares good food, and laughter, and it's a good time of year. i certainly would like to westbound my family at home but we're serving here in afghanistan for a good cause so i'm happy to be there. >> no soldier left behind. nato forces are due to withdraw from the country on 2014, they are speeding up the efforts to train the afghan military units before they pull out. >> it looks like george h.w. bush will be spending his christmas in the hospital. he has been undergoing treatment for a bronchitis-like cough since november. doctors are cautiously optimistic that president bush's son, former president george w. bush has been among the visitors at the hospital.

no word on when he will be released. >> nelson mandela is enjoying better health. his condition is improving and he's in really good spirits. he has been in the hospital since december 8th. he's recovering from a lung infection and the removal of gall stones. his wife and family along with the current president of south africa visiting him, sreurbing him a merry christmas. >> passengers in denver are finding a special way to be of good shear while helping the less fortunate. these men and women of the encloses all methodist ministers getting behind the bar, that's right, on christmas eve, to serve drinks and collect tips. >> a lot of folks come in here that might not necessary logo to church, and might not hear about the need, and we've discovered that people are very generous, whether they are in a bar or sitting in a pew on sunday morning. >> i asked one t

want to take some food home? they said no, we are living under a bridge, we have no place to keep it. >> we bought clothing, underwear for the homeless in denver. >> after the bar tending duties they went back to church to lead a midnight mass. >> you're a man of the cloth, kelly. many people might not know that, do you mix a mean martini? >> that shall forever remain a secret. >> i bet he does. i don't under but the clergy being bartenders. you hear it all on christmas day. we are going to bring you much more, we are here for three hours as you open your presents. i want to tell i about the wild weather if you're trying to get home still for christmas day it's a mess. we'll tell you which parts of the country could see big snowfall and what parts could see a record-setting day of tornadoes. that's next. merry christmas.

♪ merry christmas baby, i sure did treat me nice. ♪ um, more row christmas pretty baby, you sure did treat me nice

. kelly: a clip from the class i have show the odd couple. sad information to report. jack klugman has died.

pieced away at his home in los angeles. he was 90 years old, and mourners paying tribute to the legendary actor placing flowers on his star on the hollywood walk of fame. jamaican good thin >> reporter: good thing said it was peaceful. and he also did quincey, a forensic pat pathologist. >> a company in colorado is trying to revive letter writer. it argues that electronic communication hrabgts the impa lacks what can be had in a handwritten letter. alicia acuna has the story. >> i think everybody is ready for something different and positive and simple. >> patti recently launched a new online business and what she

calls a happy revolution. >> to see if we can get people once again taking the smallest step to reach out to their friends and family again. >> reporter: it's called happy snail, stickers sold in packs for envelopes and packages reminiscent of the fragile stamp. >> we've developed these fun little stickers. >> reporter: to encourage people to send notes instead of emails to improve a daily ritual most folks have. >> they come home from work, and they grab the stack and they start shuffling through, you see the bills and all the mailers, and what are you really looking for? >> reporter: that personal touch we all crave is what she hopes to restore. as much as we think we are all connect, we are always texting, and e-mailing, people are feeling more and more connected. >> happy mail is working with the girl scouts to send letters overseas.

the u.s. postal service does not endorse patti's endeavor or other folks like it. >> we have seen a drop in first class communication. >> reporter: while this is the busy season it recently posted its largest annual loss every of $15.9 billion. they say it's hoping for a resurgence and connections that last. >> my father wrote a single letter to me in his whole life. i still have it and read it. >> reporter: the more people we get to do this the more i think we can change the tide of this feeling of just blah. >> she hopes revying the dying art of letter writing will help us preserve the tangible memories we now lose in the ether. >> reporter: alicia acuna reporting. merry christmas to you and your family. kelly: she is talking about getting away from high-tech to

high touch. 2012 was a big year for the courts. and when we return we'll take a look back at the biggest cases, and what is on the docket for the coming year. [ mother ] you can't leave the table till you finish your vegetables. [ clock ticking ] [ male announcer ] there's a better way... v8 v-fusion. vegetable nutrition they need, fruit taste they love. could've had a v8. or...try kids boxes! every signature is unique, and every fingerprint unrepeatable.

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kelly: welcome back. time for a quick check of your headlines. pope benedict the xvi wishing peace to the world calling for an end to the slaughter in syria. netflix not giving credit to its viewers after an outage on christmas eve. a christmas tradition in germany. members of the berlin seal swimming club taking a dive into some frigid lake temperatures. look at that, wow, that is frigid. they are wearing nothing but santa claus hats. jaime: i'm told we couldn't show all the video on that story. now national healthcare and lindsay lohan's ann particulars,

2012 was a big year for the courts. in january the supreme court ruled that before the government places a gps tracking device on your vehicle it has to get a search warrant. four months later it said that children conceived through in-vitro are not automatically entitled to benefits after the death of a parents. what the court could look like from here. doug burns a former federal prosecutor and criminal defense attorney. and john manweli, a former criminal defense attorney. waoepl mawaoepl may not influence that the high court cases influence people practicing law day-to-day. doug -rpbgs tel tell me your

thoughts on the healthcare. >> a lot of the people ran out of building saying it's been struck down. it was struck down on commerce clause grounds and the necessary and proper clause grounds. jaime: it had to be. >> there it was on page 10 that it was being upheld as a tax which i agree w. the long and short of it was it's the same analysis that we rendered all yearlong. it's 2700 pages long, i'm not sure anybody understan understands. i asked a friend of mine who is a physician can you tell me what is in the health code. he looked at me bang leave. >> john, what do you think about the court a growing to take up two gay marriage cases, what could be the impact of that? >> well, the court has a balancing act to do. obviously if you're a person of

homosexuality and would like your rights there is an equal protection clause in the constitution. so the court is actually going to be visiting this and applying a balancing test to what if any rights gay people and gay marriages have, and apply it accordingly. it will be interesting to see how the court particularly will interpret that classification of people, specifically homosexuals and what they want to do, which is get their full rights as any one of us members of society have. that is going to be interesting. going become to the obama clause, the obama healthcare act i thought that was a particularly interesting ruling from the court. i disagree, i think the 10th amendment belongs to the states. i stand aside from my colleague mr. burns on that one. jaime: you're entitled to your opinion, certainly. i want to ask you, take a lock at those two cases and contrast the make up of the court so far and in a second term president obama could aeu.as man appoint

as many as two new justices. you probably still have kennedy as a swing. what do you think it will look like? >> it depend who leaves. route bader ginsberg will most likely be the next justice to leave the court. if that happens then ideologically it's a swap in a sense. and what you were getting at jaime, and you're right, what about the next seat that becomes vacant, there will be some type of ideological shift. i can't resist the editorial this it's unfortunate that people view the court action somewhat of a political institution in that the justices rule in fairly consistent patterns. the cases that get to the supreme court are so close, that's why you see those tendencies. jaime: do you think that justice roberts could make them work to interpret the constitution as it

was meant to be by the four father stph-s. >> this i fathers? >> i learned that the supreme court is unpredictable. as we discussed earlier, everybody thought it would go one way and it went the other. roberts surprised us all with his decision and the side he was one. it's really hard to tell. obama does get the opportunity to pick one if not two other supreme court members. based on what we saw with the supreme court in the obama healthcare act we don't know which way the supreme court will go. the facts are very individual and unique in every case, so it's really hard to tell and predict she's types of outcomes. jaime: what other case struck you this year that was interesting for the court to hear and the decision that came out that was thought provoking nor you as a very experienced attorney? >> i thought the jones case was good, requiring the gps, the warrants on the gps cases, specifically the u.s. supreme court said, look if you're going

to follow somebody, going to put a gps system on their car you're going to need a search warrant. as a criminal sevens attorney obviously i hail that decision because it is an intention on your fourth amendment right, your right to privacy, and again it's a slippery slope. if the u.s. supreme court denied that and said they don't need a warrant, what else could our government do to us as far as our privacy rights are concerned? so i hailed that decision and i was very happy about the ruling on that one. jaime: doug, you're a former prosecutor, i was not. i am surprised that you didn't need a search warrant in order to place a gps device. why did it make it, doug, up to the supreme court. >> i think historically they would -- when i was in the u.s. attorney's office like a birth-dobird dog device. it wasn't a gps. when it tkpwo*s gots t got to the point where they could see

on a screen exactly where you were they are looking at a big brother concept and under the fourth amend many the court correctly ruled that you need a search warrant, which in simple english means you have to establish some kind of level of probable cause that the person is violating some law before you can do that and i agree with it. jaime: it's a good standard. i've got to tell you you came in on christmas day, i really appreciate it. it's one of the most interesting legal segments i've ever had the pleasure ever doing. thank you. >> thank you, jaime. >> thank you. >> merry christmas. kelly: some areas now expecting heavy snow while others could potentially get far worse, the latest in a live report next. [singing]

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♪ i don't wanna be right [ record scratch ] what?! it's not bad for you. it just tastes that way. [ female announcer ] honey nut cheerios cereal -- heart-healthy, whole grain oats. you can't go wrong loving it. kelly: wild weather of is threatening millions of people across the country right now. a powerful storm system barreling towards the great plains where some places could see several inches of sleet and snow. in tulsa, oklahoma, a city i love by the way, city officials there are getting the plows and sand ready. in the south residents could see a record-setting day of christmas tornadoes. rick weymouth is live in the fox extreme weather center. tornadoes? >> tornadoes on christmas day. a lot of people across the south need to watch this. a complex storm will affect us for the next three days. cold aerosol eu air air solidly

in police. it's 3 degrees in denver for christmas morning. it's so warm across parts of the south once you get to the gulf we have severe weather concerns. one tornado box will expire at 1:00 over new orleans. there is another batch that are going to begin to pull in towards the houston area and this tornado watch box in effect until 4:00. you'll get a little brit o bit of a break in these storms. and then potentially looking at large, destructive tornadoes. that's why we are concerned about. look at this temperature right here, 9 degrees in omaha, 24 in oklahoma city. the temps plumb it behind the storm and we still watch the severe weather pull off to the south. we will be dealing with blizzard conditions across parts of missouri. i want to show you this bulls sigh for the threat for severe

weather. texas, louisiana, mississippi and alabama. unfortunately on christmas you need to have your plans in place if you need to take carve within moments. kelly: that is very important. good job on fox & friends this morning. you are my favorite weatherman. merry christmas to you. >> reporter: and to you. jaime: the tsunamis are really the only thing they have to worry about generally when it comes to wild weather in hawaii and that is not a concern. president obama is there spending time with his family for the holiday and yesterday he went golfing before heading to the beach with the first lady and their daughters. aides say the president will have to return to washington in a day or two to deal with you know what the fiscal crisis. chief house correspondented spayeed henry is in hawaii with

the president. i assume if there were any conversations between the president and the speaker we would be advised. >> they say there have not been any more calls, no contact between the high school and the speaker. that is a sign that there's been no major progress. they say that the lines of communication are still open between the president's staff, the peaker's staff. also now the circle is widening a little bit and it's including senate staff, because given what happened late last week where speaker boehner's so-called plan b fail in the house there is now momentum to try and get something going in the senate right after christmas and maybe possible something there, some sort of a stop-gap measure, hope they can pass it in the house. this morning one of the conservative lea leaders, senator jim demint, he's retiring to run the heritage foundation, he put out a message saying it's time for both sides to come together. >> as we celebrate jesus and this christmas season i want to wish all of you a merry

christmas, a happy new year and let's all work together for that spirit of freedom that we want to share all across america. >> reporter: of course the president's allies have been saying that jim demint and some of his conservative allies who have not given on increasing tax rates. demint and his colleagues would say it's the president not putting enough spending cuts on the table stok focusing instead on tax hikes. that's why we're at this place where we are at a stalemate. jaime: time is running out. there is so little time left. what is the chance the president does go back to washington to get back to it? >> reporter: i think it's a very high chance. if you think back to last friday in the white house briefing room the president said, look we have to get a little pause, a little time out here, it is christmas, lawmakers want to go home, he wanted to come back here to hawaii with his family. he joked about having a little eggnog, have some christmas cookies, sing some carols, then

he said i'll see you next week. when you talk to the president's aides it's very, very likely that by the end of this week he'll be tphroeug o flying on air force one back to washington, bringing the congressional people in and trying to get something done. jaime: thank you, merry christmas. >> merry christmas. kelly: pope benedict the xvi the 16th calling for an end to the violence in syria making a plea to stoop the killing of the defenseless. the words of the holy father falling on deaf years in syria today, the fighting grinds on as the casualties pileup. what can be done to stop this bloodshed? joining us live, john belt ton, former u.s. ambassador to the united nations and a fox news contributor. thank you for joining us today, i'll say merry christmas to you right now, sir. >> merry christmas. kelly: the conflict in syria has become so intense that we are

now hearing the pope making an attempt to address it on christmas day, and christmas eve for the world. he pray that peace come to the people of syria that does not spare the defense less. with that being said he also asked for dialogue in the the pursuit of a political solution. is there one available? >> it doesn't look like it at the moment. this is the pope's annual speech, a state of the world speech, and he's obviously concerned about what is going on in syria, the destruction there and elsewhere in the world. but despite the pope's concern, the military signature situation continues to deteriorate, and why many people think bashar al-assad doesn't have long to stay in power there is no consensus about what comes next.

kelly: we have seen the political process underway in the past. recently efforts to bring an end to the conflict over the weekend. brahim talk being with bashar al-assad. he had to get his way in there because of a threat of violence. he said there were no positive results. what can the western world do and should the united states be doing more to stop the blood head? >> well i think the bashar al-assad regime clearly believes that it has no alternative but to continue to fight. it fears that if it gives up "there will be blood" baths against its supporters, allo i think the near term answer is to find some place where bashar al-assad, ace family and other top regime people can go to get a saoeu asylum without the threat of prosecution. that doesn't sound very april

tieing given the crimes the bashar al-assad regime has committed. the other propect sadly is this tragedy just continues and more civilians, now over 40,000, many maybe as many as 50,000 will just continue. kelly: those are staggering numbers, and to have the world just idly watching die as some people would say -- there is as you know a great deal of concern and even suspicion that syrian government forces may actually resort to using chemical weapons. president obama has warned there would be consequences if bashar al-assad's military conducts such chemical warfare. does that mean the u.s. may possibly consider eve enacting some military option in syria? >> i think what people are looking at is whether the chemical weapons can be secured or destroyed in place. this is very, very dangerous. one could argue that we should have focused on the chemical weapons a longtime allege. the other risk of course is the

chemical weapons get outside of syria, fall into the hands of al-qaida or other terrorist and be used worldwide. it was a very dangerous situation. the pope was absolutely right to call attention to it. >> obviously you've talked to a lot of people 0 behind closed doors in terms of what is happening in syria and the entire middle east. what is going on here? why can't something, some resolution be found in this conflict? >> politics tpha* in tha in that part of the world is a blood sport. it's an all or nothing kind of game. bashar al-assad believes if he departs others will face a blood bath. the opposition fortress don't have a coherent strubgt *ur. they are all concerned that whoever wins military is going to take reprice else against whoever loses. it makes deplease massey hard

when the russians continue to support bashar al-assad. when teheran continues to support bashar al-assad. where we are yet to identify leaders in the opposition we could trust to adhere to values and not engage in a blood bath. this has gone on for two years out own effective western policy. kelly: how do you see it ending? >> the short term i see it continuing. the likelihood is this continues to play out with more civilians being killed. inevitably it seems to me bashar al-assad will be toppled from power but whether an effective government can replace him or whether the country itself becomes anartic we don't know. the latter prospect is growing in possibility. kelly: that of course has a dire ramification for everybody in that region. ambassador we thank you as always for joining us. again to you sir, have a merry christmas. >> and merry christmas to you too. jaime: watching and waiting to see if a volcano is going to

blow? details on a community that is on high alert, straight ahead. a little boy's dying wish inspiring random acts of kindness, jayden style. >> one of the first things he said is daddy i'm never going to get married. i said why would you say that to me, buddy. he said god needs me more. i was your angel before i was born. [ roasting firewood ] ♪ many hot dogs are within you. try pepto-bismol to-go, it's the power of pepto, but it fits in your pocket. now tell the world daniel... of pepto-bismol to-go.

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. jaime: breaking news from chile, a colcain owe as the country on wed alert. it's just over the border in argentina and it looks like it could blow over the weekend. monitors are saying heavy activity. the volcano last erupting in 1981 was highly active in 2001. the seismic activity is calming down a little bit today but the region is ready if it blows. kelly: wow. i'd like you to play close attention to this story we'd

like to show you right now. the the death of a young boy is sparking general o generosity in this community and even around the world. our fox affiliate in detroit has the remarkable story. >> unexplainable random acts of kindness. >> people really did look in hair hearts. >> from total strangers. >> if you can feel good about yourself while you're doing it why not. >> he just lost his job so we bought him groceries. >> in places all over the world. >> afghanistan, australia, germany, it's just picked up. >> inspired by a little boy and his dying wish. good if he had something to give to somebody he would. >> he just loved to see people happy. >> in june, 2010 tom and nick ole lamb learned their son was suffering from cancerous tumors on his spine that would spread to his brain. he went from an active 66-year-old who loved playing t

ball to having to deal with the chronic pain of cancer and its treatments. jayden never let it crush his spirit. >> he pretty much kept a smile on his face through all the treatment. the cancer really got him down at all. >> family, friends and the community rallied around jayden and his family offering financial support while his parents sat his their son's bedside andeep on trucking, team jaytd earnings. >> we cherished every moment we had with him and would hold aim and hug him. >> he struggled for two years. his matter will never forget hits final conversation. >> he woke up and he looked me right in the eye, and he said daddy i'm never going to get march read. i said why would you say that to me buddy? he said, god needs me motorcycles i was your angel

before. >> he died october 27th, a pain no parent should endure. the family wants to thank everyone who gave them strength along the way they bought someone a coffee and picked up else's a dinner tab. it's something jayden would want them to do. >> it's something a warrant would never think they would learn from a child, but i did. >> a mother of two young girls was about to cons he will her k-mart christmas layaway order only to find out that someone paid it off. this store manager saw it happen a lot of times, because of jayden's way of giving. >> it's touching to have me witness this general ross a tee. >> buffalo wild wings waitress picked up a restaurant bill and a grocery bill. >> it touched my heart.

>> somebody bought abby coffee, so she paid it forward. hopefully there was somebody behind her, hopefully she did it and it will keep going. >> it has, back on jayden's facebook page thousands of people posting similar acts of compassion from all over the world. >> jayden touched so many lives and now they want to say thank you. jayden would have been nine years old on december 12th. about a thousand people gathered to launch chinese lanterns sending their little angel a birthday party to heaven. [singing] happy birthday to you. kelly. >> as the pay it forward jayden style movement continues to grow this father can't help to think become to his son's final day and their final conversation. he now realizes jayden's journey was far from over.

>> it makes me think back to when he said god needs me more and it makes me think maybe that is what this is. kelly: amen. jaime: why can't we have a story like that to remind us to be grateful. kelly: i am so touched by that story. i hope you're inspired to live as jayden did and pass it forward. jaime: karen arboasher bringing us that story. kelly: thank you to jayden and his wonderful family. jaime: some hollywood stars are get back in a way they can. harrison ford and melissa gilbert teamed up with the los angeles mission. together they served a christmas eve meal to thousands of homeless and less fortunate families on l.a.'s kid row. in addition to food a santa claus workshop was a set up to distribute thousands of donated toys to kid who might not otherwise get presents. jayden would also approve. kelly: a suburban newspaper

sparking outrage after publishing the names and addresses of thousand of legal gun owners. why did they do it in the first place? that is coming up in just three minutes. [ laughter ] smoke? nah, i'm good. ♪ [ male announcer ] every time you say no to a cigarette, you celebrate a little win. nicoderm cq, the patch with time release smart control technology that acts fast and helps control cravings all day long.

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north of new york city sparking an uproar by publishing the names and addresses of thousands of legal gun owners. the journal news creating an interactive map showing the name and location of people in several counties with handgun or pistol permits. antigun groups say neighbors need to know who has a gun, but gun owners, well their voicing concern for their privacy and safety. jaime: long awaited and christmas is finally here, for many it marks the end of a marathon round of shopping when they can settle down and relax

with friends and families. for the vat condition it's a time to celebrate one of the holist days on the christmas calendar. the holiday can mean so many things to so many different people and father jonathan morris joins us now to share his thoughts on the real meaning of christmas. father, you encounter so many people in your paeurb, people may think you are just on tv but you give several masses a day. people tell you their stories. what has touched you this christmas year. >> something that really taught me the meaning of christmas because we can all learn again on different levels. i was visiting a pa reurb they ara parishioner of mine who is dying, he is 80 years old. i asked the nurses, is there anybody here that doesn't have any family that i could visit. something that i usually do that i learned from another pastor. they said, well, there is only one person, but we are kind of hesitant, and i said that's the kind of person i want to see.

and we started walking over, and as we got close to his room he saw us from afar and he started getting very violent. very violent just to see another human being coming towards him. the nurse said why don't you get a little bit closer father. i got another step to forward. when he saw my clerical outfit he got more violence. and he started really tp-rb la flailing. the nurse said let's get out of here. he was about 45 ears old. there were a lot of iv's. a lot of blood. it was not good he was so violent. i said i can't leave right now, this is the person that needs help. as i was there looking at him ands was getting madder and phaerd i was thinking back to preparing my sermon for christmas, i thought jesus came as a baby, someone that we could all accept.

what could i do. i got down on my knees and he couldn't speak very well and i went like this to let him know i was praying for him. at that moment the anger subsided, he got so quiet and i said, jesus knows you. you are not alone, god loves you, and he's near you. he got so peace null, and he repeated after me, god is near, in the best he could with his swollen tongue, and god loves me. then he makes his own sign like this, and as the nurses look on huddled around each other he says the most beautiful prayer i could possibly imagine of repentance, and saying back to god, i love you, you're near me. for me that was the perfect example of what christmas is. it's not just about family. some people don't have family. family is wonderful. i'm going to see my family now in ohio, but it's also about redemption, about forgiveness,

and it's about when we're deficient god is near. jaime: a beautiful story, father, that is the kind of work that you do and we really appreciate it and merry christmas to you. kelly: merry christmas my friend. jaime: to those who are ill, serving and who are not with us any more. kelly: refresh you. >> we are happy you guys are here on christmas. thank you. >> our pleasure. kelly: we will come back with the latest on new taxes that are about to hit your wait. we need some forgiveness there to. congress getting ready to deliver an unpleasant christmas surprise, taking even more of your money, the reason why coming up.

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inside america's news headquarters this christmas day. kelly: best to all of you. i'm kelly wright, topping the news this hour, we begin with the pope. the pope sending out a call for peace in the middle east and beyond. and a new focus on spirituality in this increasingly high-tech world. jamie: also an amazing story of generosity and love today, yes, another one. the brotherhood of police stepping in to give newtown cops the day off so they can spend it with their familis. kelly: a fond farewell to two iconic character actors that made many hollywood movies and tv shows so memorable. we remember charles durning and jack klugman. jamie: topping the news this hour, the police are right now calling the shooting deaths of two firefighters we reported to you in upstate new york a deadly ambush. here is what is happening right now. we're learning more about the man who police say shot four firefighters as they

responded to that blaze which they believe was deliberately set killing two of them. they were shot as they responded to the fire outside of webster, new york, outside of rochester. the horrible scene leaving the entire community in shock this christmas. >> we're strong people. our community that's there for everybody. we'll get through it. very sad. >> this is a time of celebration, time to be with your family and now there's people that are, don't have a home and, you know, there's family members that are missing and family members that are hospitalized and how can that be christmas? jamie: well the story is still developing. the investigation is ongoing and david lee miller live in our new york newsroom with the latest. david lee? >> reporter: jamie, we expect this hour new details are going to emerge. a news conference is

scheduled to take place in the next few minutes. we'll let you know what they say. but as we saw last night about 100 people attended a memorial vigil for the victims of the shooting. mourners left flowers and carry ad handwritten sign that said, thanks for protecting us, rest in peace. the firefighters killed, 43-year-old michael ciporrani and 25-year-old, tomascz chip chip. the shooter, william spengler set the home ablaze and took his own life shooting himself in the head. spengler was no stranger to law enforcement. he served 16 years for a conviction of manslaughter beating his grandmother to death. as a ex-con, spengler was not permitted to have weapons. >> spengler was a convicted felon. he is not allowed to poe -- possess weapons. so did he legally possess

the weapons? no. we've had all kinds of weapons larcenies in town and around the county and wayne county as of late so i don't know where those weapons came from but we'll certainly find out. >> reporter: why spengler went on the rampage there is still known motive. when the mother died two months ago, obit irwary asked for donations to the west webster fire department and that is who responded to the fire. he had a strained relationship with his sister. the massive fire that left seven homes destroyed made it difficult to search for what might be additional victims. jamie, it is possible we might learn more defails in the next few minutes. a news conference is expected to take place. jamie: those hacial details -- horrible details. david, keep us posted. kelly? kelly: police in newtown are getting much-needed break this christmas. police officers from the

state of connecticut are volunteering to cover the town to newtown's entire police force can have the day off. some officers donating their overtime pay to charities helping those affected by the elementary school shooting earlier this month. jamie: that's a great story too. we want to keep you posted on any extreme weather out there. if you're flying or driving and there is a large storm that is moving across parts of the southern midwest and raised threats of tornados, maybe even record numbers of tornadoes in the southeast. meanwhile there's snow and sleet and freezing rain. that could also complicate your holiday travel plans. chief meteorologist rick reichmuth is in charge keeping track of all that. how bad, rick? >> pretty significant storm unfortunately today, tomorrow, thursday still. and it's going to impact a lot of people. cold temperatures are already in place, very cold down across parts of texas. look at that, 71 in new orleans. we have contrast of temperatures and a major

contrasting in winds. upper level and lower level wind today. that means we have a very significant tornado threat and tornado threat on christmas day. every place you see the red this is moderate risk of severe weather by the storm prediction center. yellow is slight risk. we could certainly see severe weather anywhere in the red area. some of these tornados possibly could be large and long lived and those often times end up being the deadly tornados. we would certainly hate to see that today. if you're planning where to have christmas, have it at somebody's house with a basement if you can because you might need to get there very quickly. one batch of storms moved through already earlier today across parts of louisiana. there will be another batch of storms that moves through again. a little bit of a break between it. there is snowy side. i talk more about that in a second. the severe one could potentially be deadly for us. you see right here, last few images thunderstorms are beginning to fire northwest of houston. some of those could become tornadic. this will happen over next 24 hours or so.

you see cold air in place. snow will fall across the south. temps will plummet behind the front. severe with tomorrow possible across the mid-atlantic, i don't think as bad as what we'll see today. but right here it is going to be a bull's-eye. then we'll start to talk about the snow. look at this map. look at all the areas under some sort of a winter weather type storm, a warning, a watch, a blizzard warning right here around severanceville and paduca towards the boot hill of missouri. ice across the appalachians. to the areas south of st. louis, cutting up through indiana and ohio and here towards the northeast. this will be the bull's-eye of this storm wednesday and thursday. jamie, think about this. how many people are out there with travel plans tomorrow? this is cutting through so many areas. this will be rough on the roads and rough on the airports it be tomorrow, next day and today a major tornado threat for us. jamie: just besides the fact

you encouraged everyone to stay home and watch fox, and i appreciate that. >> sure. jamie: we look ahead people going away for new year's, is there some spot on the map where the weather is good enough to go? >> south, south florida not looking bad. the front will go through and cool things down as well. another storm is brewing behind this. saturday we're looking at another event. wednesday, thursday, a bit of a break on friday, and another storm saturday. we're in active period. people like white christmas. unfortunately sometimes it comes and can be very dangerous. jamie: we have to tell the truth. it can be bad, folks. thanks very much, rick. merry christmas to you and your family. >> merry christmas to you, jamie. jamie: thanks. kelly: parts of the midwest dealing with deteriorating weather conditions. we have a fox affiliate koah in oklahoma. priscilla, i hope i got your name right. what is the problem causing

the problem out there and how bad is it for the people of oklahoma? >> reporter: well, i'll tell you this much, the winery mix is causing tremendous problems for drivers all chaos the oklahoma city metro. caused several accidents. a pileup caused one major oklahoma highway to shut down. no snow on the ground yet here in oklahoma but if you look under my feet you see a wintry mix. this is sleet and freezing rain. and it is causing, it is making for a very busy morning not only for the department of transportation but the city of oklahoma city. i will step aside. look what is happening right now. you can see a front-end loader inside one of the salt barns that we have here in oklahoma city. we've seen probably about 20 trucks pass through here, loading up before hitting the snow routes here in oklahoma city. i'm told by the department of transportation that there are more than 500 trucks standing down on oklahoma

roads trying to keep the roadways safe on this christmas day. here in the oklahoma city metro alone there about 1,000 workers on call on christmas. i'm told they will keep working on these oklahoma roadways until their job is done. guys? kelly: priscilla, what you showed us with your feet there, showing sleet and rain, that makes for some treacherous conditions. for all the people out in your area drive safely if you can avoid the roads, stay home and drink eggnog and sing christmas carols. priscilla, thank you. jamie: that is the most dangerous conditions actually. the weather apparently knot having an effect on christmas celebrations at the vatican. we'll take you there. thousands of pilgrims have been flooding into the square for pope benedict xvi annual christmas message. here is portion what he said. >> translator: may peace bring up in the land where the redeemer was born and grant israelis and palestinians courage to end

long years of conflict and division and to embark resolutely on the path of negotiation. in the countries of north africa, which are experiencing a major transition in pure suit of a new future and especially the beloved land of egypt, blessed by the childhood of jesus, may citizens work together to build societies founded on justice and respect for the freedom and dignity of every person. jamie: well, it's the pope's 8th christmas as leader of the world's catholics. every year he delivers a greeting in more than 60 languages. kelly: christmas celebrations in the hole land in full swing right now. over in the town of bethlehem, thousands of christians are pouring into the church of the nativity eagerly awaiting their chance to get a glimpse of

the spot where the bible says jesus christ was born. leland vittert is live there now. he joins us with more details what is unfolding for this christmas season. in the background i can hear a lot going on. >> reporter: you can, kelly. interestingly enough what you hear in the background is not christmas carols but is the muslim call to prayer. no one can really celebrate any holidays here just to themselves. the mosque here on this side of manger square is broadcasting a call to prayer. of course we have thousands of christian pilgrims down here in the square. you see the christmas tree and in the distance the church of the nativity where so many people have come over the past month or so to get a look at the grotto where jesus was born more than two millenia ago. last night christmas eve mass inside the church of the nativity, a magical experience, standing room only as the latin patriarch began his services and proclaimed the birth of jesus and went on to take a little bit of a political

bend in his discussion and to celebrate the birth of palestine which the palestinians got observer status which caused a lot of tension in bethlehem and across the west bank. the pilgrims were out here as well as palestinian boy scouts, who marched in that began christmas celebrations on christmas eve. traditional parade down the star road into bethlehem. it is important to note when you look at pictures just how many people there are out here. tens of thousands of pilgrims come throughout the month leading up to christmas. thousands on christmas day. tourism that is really driving the economy here in bethlehem. as we have talked about these rising tensions, the u.n. vote and increase in israeli settlement activity and increasing anger here on the palestinian street there is a lot of fear that the economic boom that's happened here in bethlehem filling manger square and driving all the souvenir shops could easily go away if we experience another round of violence. it is certainly possible

with some of the events we've seen over the past month or so. kelly. kelly: hopefully that is something we won't see, leland. by the way i couldn't help think when you're talking about the muslim call of prayer and how you were at the epicenter the three main faiths of abraham living under the same area. thanks so much, leland. jamie: well looking for an end to the violence in syria, things still heating up there and there's new efforts to stop the bloodshed and civil war rages on but will it work? kelly: plus hollywood mourning the loss of an icon. remembering the messy half of "the odd couple", jack klugman, just ahead. jamie: it is a decades-old tradition. queen elizabeth wishing merry christmas to all of great britain and prayer to remember the message of a born in the manger in bethlehem. >> my prayer that his example and teaching will continue to bring people together to give the best of themselves in service of

others. ♪

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what cd rates will be in two years? no. if he can't, no one can. that's why ally has a raise your rate cd. ally bank. your money needs an ally. kelly: merry christmas to all of you. some of hollywood's biggest stars are embracing the true meaning of christmas. harrison ford and melissa gilbert, for example, among big names sporting aprons at l.a.'s skid row, rolling up their sleeves to serve

christmas dinner to those in need. they're taking part in the los angeles mission christmas celebration which gives holiday gifts to needy children and feeds an estimated 3,000 people. jamie: well, speaking of feeding people, you have to wonder what the price of milk is going to look like if we go over the fiscal cliff. not to mention everything else we need. even though the main players are off for christmas, lawmakers are on break, the president in hawaii with his family on vacation there is just a week to go before the automatic spending cuts and tax hikes kick in and right now there doesn't seem to be any movement toward a compromise or a deal. chief white house correspondent ed henry is live in honolulu which it any last minute updates. ed, are we right where we were? >> reporter: we pretty much are, jamie, good to see you. the bottom line the markets will be waiting to see how this all plays out over the next few days. they have been relatively stable up to this point.

because there was expectation there would be fighting but in the end they would come together on a deal. as you say the clock is finally running out. they're taking a pause for the holidays. the president's aides tell us in private he scaled back from a $4 trillion deficit deal. he wants something smaller in the wake of speaker john boehner's failure on so-called plan b last week. they just want something that will extend middle class tax cuts. they want to see two million people get unemployment benefits extended. those are running out at end of the year by the way the president, you remember, came out on friday after speaker boehner talked about the failure of the vote thursday night and president basically said everyone should calm down, cool off over the holidays. take a listen. >> everybody can cool off. everybody can drink some eggnog, have some christmas cookies, sing some christmas carols, enjoy the company of loved ones and then i would ask every member of congress

while they're back home to think about that. think about the obligations we have to the people who sent us here. >> reporter: so, sing some carols today. probably will be some eggnog. here in hawaii, maybe back in ohio where john boehner is likely celebrating the holidays as well but they have got to seriously get back to work over the next couple days and top white house officials say we can expect the president by the end of this week, it is very, very likely, he will get on air force 1, leaving hawaii, go back to washington, work with leaders from both parties and figure this out next week, jamie. jamie: i hope you get at least one day off, ed. i hear the waves in the background. >> reporter: crashing behind me. merry christmas. jamie: how will the fiscal cliff drama play out? we'll take a fair and balanced cliff look at all the different scenarios that could happen. that is coming up later in the hour. join us. kelly: former president george h.w. bush in the hospital this christmas as he recovers from a severe

cough and fever. doctors admitted him last month out of abundance of caution because of his age. the former president is 88 years old now and he has had some health issues over the years. mr. bush suffering from parkinson's disease. that's why you often see him using a motorized wheelchair or scooter. he also takes medication for an irregular heartbeat and suffers from a mild form of grave's disease, which is a thyroid condition the former president had surgeries to replace both hips. his most recent operation was in 2007. jamie: we send our best wishes to the entire family. kelly: we do. jamie: a new tribute to the victims of the sandy hook school shooting. we can't do enough to let them know we care. a community far from connecticut got together to honor those killed. that story is on its way ♪

kelly: britain's royal family is celebrating the christmas holiday. most of the family attending church services in london with a few exceptions,

dawning a turquois coat and matching hat, queen elizabeth the ii arrived at the church early this morning with most of the royal family. the queen also delivering her yearly message to great britain and the commonwealth, this year in three defor the first time. reminding people to keep soldiers, first-responders and their families in their hearts on christmas. >> for many christmas is also a time for coming together but for others service will come first. those serving in our armed forces, in our emergency services, and in our hospitals whose sense of duty takes them away from family and friends will be missing those they love. and those who have lost loved ones may find this day especially full of memories. that's why it's important at this time of year to reach

out to beyond our familiar relationships, to think of those who are on their own. kelly: most of the role royal family is together this christmas except for prince william who is spending william with his wife kate middleton's family and prince harry who is deployed in afghanistan. >> translator: may peace bring up for the people of syria, deeply wounded and divided by a conflict which does not spare even the defenseless and reaps innocent victims. once again i appeal for an end to the bloodshed, easier access for the relief of refugees and the displaced, and dialogue in the pursuit of a political solution to the conflict. jamie: that was pope benedict xvi using part of his annual christmas message

today as a plea to end all the fighting in syria. activists are saying more than 40,000 people in syria have been killed. so many of them innocent civilians, all since the start of last year's uprising against the government and just yesterday an international peace envoy for the country sat down with syrian president bashar al-assad in a fresh bid to try to end the violence but will that be enough? did it even work? walid phares, fox muse middle east and terrorism analyst and author of, the coming revolution, the struggle for freedom in the middle east. walid, good to see you. thanks so much for joining us today. >> thank you. jamie: we worry every day about the people in syria and we sent a special envoy and we don't seem to be making any progress, what do you could be done, do you think. >> we have to understand the assad reg gile will not -- reg gile will not go before someone make them quit. past year, 2011, we, united states and allies were in

iraq. the assad regime was surrounded. once we quit iraq, the iranian regime through iraq is supplying the assad regime. that is why assad continues with his mass curse. either we intervene directly with air, sea, coalitions on the ground or we will arm the opposition. the downside of arming the opposition that we don't, can't identify really who is who so far. we may end up sending weapons to al qaeda and jihadists instead of to the good guys, secularists and reformists. jamie: help us separate fact and fiction. we're looking at video now. i invite my producers to replay it. alleges to be the aftermath of an attack on a bread line, people waiting in line to buy bread. we were not able at this point to independently confirm that but there was also some reports of chemical agents being used. we know assad possesses

those. when are we going to be able to get a grip on this, not just our nation but the entire world? and with iran playing in the background, could we? >> i saw footage of both incidents. maybe a few minutes or couple hours after they occurred on arab tv. with regard, the market that was attacked, it was an air assault against an opposition force which happened to be positions next to that location. so he, yes we saw people wounded, people killed. it was horrific. with regard to chemical, the alleged wounded or victims of chemical, really we don't have a way to confirm there were really that kind of wounded or people have been targeted by chemical activities. we don't have people on the ground. we don't have ngos. we don't have u.n. people that could go ahead and check. jamie: put us in the mind of assad if you can. you studied him. you know a lot about his intentions but tell us his

capability. what does he have, what could he use and what does you have to lose? >> okay. the short story is that bashar assad has an army which has not divided yet. that is crucial. it is about 400,000. 300,000 are operational. within those 300,000 you have 80,000 who are hardcore, his revolutionary guard equivalent if you want. in the center of that he as minority alawite who will fight for him. he knows he can not go back to areas that he lost in the north, mostly sunni areas. he knows he can not go back to becoming dictator over syria as a whole. so what he is trying it do is maintain himself in damascus as long as he can and the price is bloodshed. if he loses damascus he has a fast way out side the country. he will go to his little homeland outside syria where his alawites are. i propose if we don't have fine tall solution for syria this will become an ethnic civil war in the future and

that is very sad. jamie: would any country take him if he sought asylum? >> logically the only country where he would feel safe is iran and iran is his ally but he knows very well if he leaves damascus he will basically try to go to his little homeland. his homeland,fy mere he may use at that time those chemical weapons. jamie: he will fight to the finish bottom line? >> he will fight to the finish in that area. jamie: walid phares, very troubling to watch video like that and know what is going on. thank you so much. >> thank you. merry christmas. jamie: thank you. we're remembering two icons, one from tv. we're going to take a look back at the life and career of legendary actor, the tv slob, jack klugman. wow, did he make us laugh. kelly: he sure did. plus celebrating christmas overseas. how u.s. troops in afghanistan are spending the day belt-friendly.

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jamie: bottom of the hour

right now. time for the top of the news. parts of the nation bracing for a nasty storm, yes, another one. it could bring blinding snow and freezing rain, even tornados to parts of southeast. as much as seven inches of snow could fall from indian to oklahoma. kelly: netflix is apologizing for crippling outage to its streaming service. it is blaming on cloud servers. jamie: charles durning pass passed away. he played everything from nazi colonel to dustin hoffman's would-be suitor in "tootsie". he survived the d-day invasion. very honored, durning, 89 years old. kelly: we are now just seven days away from going over that so-called fiscal cliff and when automatic tax hikes and spending cuts kick in. there are several different ways this drama could play

out on capitol hill to the white house. from no deal at all to a big agreement just in time, just in the nick of time i should say but those are not the only scenarios out there. brad blakeman, former deputy assistant to president george w. bush. stephanie max he willwell, democratic strategist and columnist. they join us to shed light on this. what are we going to do about the fiscal cliff when it is looming so -- if they do something about it and get back to congress this week as they're supposed to do. do they have enough time to get it done? >> i don't know if they have enough time to get it done, if republicans in the house are not willing to make any substantive concessions. and that means that they need to listen to what american voters said in november and raise the tax rates on the top 2%. that is what everybody voted for and that's what we want. and so i think that republicans really are in a tough spot. speaker john boehner's plan, boguses a i like to call it,

blew up in their faces. now they really are at a loss and we only have seven days and in order to avoid going off the cliff, they need to make substantive concessions. kelly: brad, my understanding is that the senate is going to be trying to do something now to actually get this job done. it will be a pared down or scaled down version what they really want but can they do it? will the house even agree to it? >> well, kelly in washington now it takes three to tango. it takes the white house. it takes the senate and the house. one body in and of itself can not force a deal. i believe the president now has to lead. the president has to bring the leadership together. this is too important for us to go over the cliff. however, kelly, i happen to believe that the president, he believes he is in a stronger position if we do go over the cliff because there is nothing he has to do for tax rates to go up. they go up as a matter of law. and i believe then he can talk about spending with a thank you congress in january. so i believe that the president is not ernest in

trying to make a deal because if he was, a deal would have been had long ago. kelly: but, when you say that, that he is not ernest, one would argue that the republicans have not been ernest either. you have congressman boehner, house speaker, going to make a deal and having recalcitrant republicans on the other side saying we don't like this deal and go back for something else. so we come up with a plan b that fails. and now the president says we'll take a christmas break. everybody drink some eggnog, sing some christmas cheer, get with your families and come back and realize something has to be done. doesn't sound like to me wants to really see a fiscal cliff happen. >> the problem is, go ahead. >> i think he is being realistic. he put a lot on the table including cuts to social security that people in his own party are staunchly against. he has put a lot on the table going against what the left believes in order to come to a compromise. he hasn't seen the same on

the republican side. so we can't reach a deal if only one side is willing to play ball for real. kelly: brad, to the point which you were talking about, about the president may want it see this happen, look, there is political fallout on both sides. if the president does want to see this happen, seems to me it might backfire on him and it will backfire on the republicans because the bottom line is, the american people will be so adversely affected that they will want everybody out of office. >> kelly, you're absolutely right. in 2012 the american people may have voted for status quo in governing but don't expect it in governance of the if the president believes he has the upper hand and people will blame the republicans if we two over the fiscal cliff i happen to believe they will blame everybody and the president is not going to escape liability for not leading us through this crisis, because after all, this is a manufactured crisis, created by the very people who are charged now it solve it to refuse to solve it. so they're just kicking the can down the road.

let's not forget in 2013, we have another crisis looming and that is the debt ceiling. kelly: exactly right. let's remind people what this fiscal cliff is really all about. we're talking about automatic tax cuts that will go into place as well as drastic, draconian cuts in entitlement programs, medicare, and even the military. the military can suffer very greatly if this goes through the sequestration. if you look at all this, you realize something has got to be done, because $2,000 per average taxpayer will be added to them over the course of this year if they fail to do something, what is going to happen? what is your prediction, brad? >> well, my prediction is, that we're likely to go over the cliff because the president also knows, kelly, in 2013 any deal made then can be retroactive to january 1st. so the draconian cuts we're talking about can be wiped away with the stroke of a pen should a deal be made. i believe the president

believes he is in stronger position if he deal doesn't go through now because he believes he will have better leverage in january. kelly: sear lena? >> he has better leverage i agree with brad about that. he can come to congress after january 1 and pass tax cuts only for those making under $250,000. republicans do you really think they will vote against a tax cut? i don't think they are. i think the president has the leverage and he can, he will continue to have the leverage after january 1 and we need to get some serious people involved here. john boehner sneads -- needs to step it up. it is not just on the president. and john boehner is dropping the ball here. >> the problem is not revenue. the problem is we're spending too much. raising revenue without cutting spending --. kelly: let me get a word in. both are going to the heart of sticking points on this entire issue. president wants to see a tax

hike on wealthy, those making $250,000 and above. republicans want to see cuts across entitlement programs. those are the two sticking points. at some point they have got to be adult enough in the room to say everybody is going to have some pain in order to get some gain. >> that's right. >> right. >> you're absolutely right. >> the president has already done that. he compromised and he moved bar up to 400,000 and then he also offered cuts to social security which progressives in the congress are very upset about. and boehner still said no. and so i think that, you know, we can see very clearly who is willing to compromise and make concessions and who is the adult in the room and who is promoting plan bogus as i like to call it and -- >> here's the plain truth and that is the president two years ago could have solved this. he had a commission on debt and spending. the bowles commission. kelly: we're going back and forth again. brad, we're going back and

forth, back and forth. at some time something has to be done. hopefully they get it done. ford merry christmas to you both. >> merry christmas. jamie: for many of us jack klugman will be the messy one, sloppy sportswriter, oscar madison from the hit show "the odd couple". he passed away in los angeles we're told peacefully at 90 years old. ainsley ear heart looks back at his life and career. >> the theme song memorable. the duo even more soed. beloved actor, jack klugman, one half of it. v's "the odd couple" passed away at age of 90. his son adam after period of declining health he went suddenly and peacefully in his woodland hills home on christmas eve. his career began on the stage. his breakout role starring on broadway in the 1952 revival of golden boy. his performance in the classic 1959 musical, gypsy earning him a tony nomination.

klugman landed roles in several highly aclaimed movies such as the 12 angry men and blake edwards' days of wine and roses. it was television where klugman really hit it big. starring as gruff, down-to-earth sportswriter oscar madison opposite actor tony randall who played his roommate. they brought a version of neil simon's play, "the odd couple". and remainedded best friends until randall's death in 1994. in 19978 it brought "quincy, m.e." to television. where he played a tough-minded medical examiner in murder cases. the series ran until 1983. >> but at worse we'll live below it. >> his voice, always rough and raspy, klugman lost a vocal chord to throat canner in the '80s and taught himself to speak again. >> we'll do something about that. >> in addition to a distinguished career,

klugman picked up a golden globe along with three emmy awards. leaves behind three sons, adam and david and his wife peggy crosby who was beside him. ainsley erhardt. fox news. kelly: we wish the klugman family well. you got to see this. he gets to come home for the hollywood after harrowing time in a mexican prison a remarkable ending to a dramatic story next. jamie: plus a very special performance from now who. if you didn't, you will want to see, kelly wright. ♪

kelly: a former u.s. marine released from mexican prison late last week has made it home in time for the christmas holiday today. 27-year-old jon hammar was arrested back on august 13th for trying to bring an antique gun into mexico after authorities there dismissed his registration papers. well, he then spent the next five months behind bars where he was mostly chained to a bed and just yesterday, his father explained how they finally got him out of there. >> they allowed us to use their facilities that were secure in there and we

pulled in and i got him in the car and i thanked the u.s. consulate guys and we took off and made a beeline to san pedro island and spent the night there. johnny, while i was sleeping john got up in the morning to walk to the beach and watch the sun come up. >> reporter: must be a really tough time for you right now? tell you what you are feeling. >> this is great. i'm glad to be talking to you about it that it is over with, because it is really over with. kelly: yes, indeed it is over and jon is home. jon's family says he is still recovering from his ordeal, having been released from prison in very poor health. which they say they will monitor him as well. even force them to make a stop at a louisiana hospital during their drive home to florida but jon hammar, we well come you home, sir. jamie: wonderful homecoming.

you definitely will want to keep your eye on the news over the next week because we have that much time left and that's it over negotiations to avoid the fiscal cliff. what happens to your bottom line if we go over it? let's take a look at the possibility fallout on wall street, your taxes, your retirement plan, your wallet. excuse me. joining me now, i get all choked up, jordan goodman, financial advisor, author of, fast profits in hard times. that's where we are. >> you bet. jamie: jordan, well-come. let me bottom line is soft landing in january best we hope for at this point? >> i think we're going over fiscal cliff. that is why the markets anticipating that. soft landing temporary compromise is the best we can hope for. the worst we can hope for, probably get is a hard landing, where they don't

have any agreement and all the huge taxes, $536 billion in tax increases, $110 billion in spending cuts happen pretty much all at once in january. jamie: for folks who are not professional investors but have their retirement account and hoping it will grow, when you see a selloff at the end of the year, what does that mean? people are getting their money out. >> well, they are. jamie: how does that affect our retirement money? >> a lot. remember what happened in 2008. people had to work longer because the retirement money wasn't going to last as long as it was. yes, there is new thing, because the capital gains rates are about to go up. people are selling this year to lock in the 15% capital gains rates. those will clearly go up. dividend rates at 15% probably will go up as well to at least 20% if not under current law, regular income rates as high as 40%. jamie: of all those things don't you think those are the two that may be compromised and negotiated and remain. >> i don't think, capital

gains will go up and. clearly they will go up. stock market will take a hit. jamie: what about homes? >> homes, generally housing market is improving. we've had home prices going up. affordability will be better here. now if people get cold feet about all this fiscal cliff and everything we're talking about and don't want to buy homes that could slow down the housing market. there is one kind of bright, within the dark cloud there is one silver lining which is interest rates will fall dramatically. you're seeing, people will rush into bonds. long term bonds will go down. that means mortgages will be even lower than they are now. haven't refinanced yet, do it now. give you a website. you can refi.com to help them do that. jamie: jordan goodman. read the book for more. thanks for being with us and we'll be back with so much more

jamie: all those wonderful traditions for the holidays. i want to tell you about a community far from newtown, connecticut but with connections to the sandy

hook elementary school. they all got together to remember the victims of the school shooting with a very special tribute. graying wahl, with our chicago affiliate, wfld, has the story you must see. >> reporter: as keith lit a candle for one of the sandy hook victims killed in the shooting, her daughter rosie remembered the young girl. they put their christmas eve on hold to reflect what happened in the town they lived until this past august. >> obviously an emotional time for all of us but our intent here is simply to remind chicago and chicagoland of newtown and to keep our community, our friend and our neighbors in their hearts and in their mind. >> reporter: the idea came from their friends in newtown. the only hometown rosy and her brother jacob ever knew. originally it was going to be a single candle burning through the night. >> to have it blossom with

26 luminaries in front of people's homes it is wonderful. it is a step for us in our healing process to know that people here in a very short time have come, you know, so far in making us feel well come and supported. >> reporter: throughout the seven bridges community in woodbridge, neighbors joined in lining their driveways with luminaries and aligning their hearts with those who lost loved ones. >> being a parent, that would be any parent's worst nightmare to lose a child or anyone. like i said, people lost mothers and spouses and siblings and i can't even imagine their pain during this, during this time. >> i'm just praying for emthem and it would be a loose for anyone i think, even if it is not your loved one. i think we're all just so sad about this tragedy. >> reporter: as many people here and across the nation remember the people of

newtown, the barons, who have a personal connection to many families at sandy hook elementary say this gesture is not about them, but instead of sharing a light of hope and help this christmas season. >> our wish for newtown and for all of chicagoland is peace. jamie: that is craig wahl with our chicago affiliate, wfld reporting. you want to do and share whatever you can this season. kelly: i'm really struck by that story because chicago has had its own share of crime violence the president even pointing that out on the day he talked about what happened not only in newtown but all throughout the country including his hometown of chicago where there has been gun violence. to see people there really reach out and spread some cheer --. jamie: everybody can do something. if you're an airport and see a member of military i hope you thank them. kelly: give them a hug even. all right to do that. they don't mind. jamie: coming up the very latest on winter weather hitting big parts of the country on christmas day. we'll be right back. thanks for joining us, everybody.

>> reminds the world where true happiness lives. may your hearts be filled with hope and joy, for the savior has been born for us. jamie: pope benedict the xvi in 16 different languages delivering a christmas message to tens of thousands of people who joined him in st. peters

square. the pontiff urging followers to never give up on peace and open their hearts to god and that seems like the perfect way to begin our third hour here. merry christmas, everybody, i'm jaime colby. kelly: merry christmas to all of you, i'm kelly wright. we welcome you to a brand-new hour inside america's news headquarters. pill grams and locals also celebrating christmas in the ancient city of bethlehem. worshippers filing in. guilt over the grothe tow where the bible says jesus was born. leland vittert has more details on the celebrations taking place there in manger square. good day to you. >> good day to you, kelly. merry christmas from bethlehem where it all began and still tonight you can see manger square is rocking with a lot of people celebrating.

we've got the christmas tree, a lot of folks selling corn, which is a traditional palestinian treat. behind the christmas treat is the church of the nativity and that's where the grothe to grotto. still at this hour people are filing in trying to get a glimpse of the grotto inside. it was standing room only at midnight mass last night. his homly took a political bend by what he called the birth of pal palestine, which has caused a lot of controversy not only in the west bank but in israel as well. the christmas celebrations here in the west bank take on a month-long festival if you will, and that begins and culminates with a parade on christmas eve, that starts about noon with the palestinian boy scouts marching

in. you have to take a look at how many pill grams there are from all around the world to watch the festivities, experience it firsthand. a very different christmas than you have the united states where it's about santa and gifts. this is about spirituality and the faith of christmas. pill grams say by virtue of the fact that they are here they get a sense of the location and geography and they can really put pictures to all the words in the bible. it gives them a much greater sense of their own faith, kelly? i've got to make it there. i hope to join you next year, my friend. merry christmas to you, leland. jamie: an extraordinary experience. our u.s. troops in afghanistan are having an experience spending christmas away from their homes. many have expressed a doe saoeur to be with their families, that is understandable. that said for now they have each other and a pretty nice spread they tell us to boot. >> christmastime here is -- i don't know i wish i could be

home with family and friends, i mean -- [inaudible] >> this is a time when everybody gets together and shares good food and laughter. it's a good time to year. i'd certainly like to be with my family at home but we are serving here in afghanistan for a good cause so i'm happy to be here. jamie: nato forces are due to withdraw from the country by 2014 mostly. they are speeding up efforts to train and advice afghan military and police units. there are 200,000 u.s. troops spending the holidays in some other part of the world. kelly, as they have that little celebration there, if anyone wonders whether or not fox news takes care of its soldiers on christmas day, kelly and i have broken out the cookies and there is a free lunch waiting downstairs . i'm just saying, don't worry, mom we're fine. kelly: i have my little cookie here stashed away. jamie: i'll take it. a christian greek catholic community in egypt they are

celebrating their first christmas under the rule of mohammed morsi. it's not easy. greek catholics make up 1% of egyptian society. during the mass many were criticized, and they say the constitution is too extreme. they are going against the rules of the rev hraoufplgts egypt held a vote on the future of the new contusion but the release of the official results has been delayed. we'll keep you posted. kelly: looks like former president george h.w. bush will be spending his christmas in the hospital. the 88-year-old has been undergoing treatment for a bronchitis-like cough since november. his spokesman says doctors remain cautiously optimistic that he will recover. they want to keep an eye on him throughout the day. president bush's son, former president george w. bush has been among the visitors at the hospital today. jamie: nelson mandela enjoying

better health this day. his condition is improving and he's in good spirits. the former south african leader has been in the hospital since september 8th recovering from a lung infection and the removal of gall stones. with him his wife and family along with the current president of south africa, they have all visited to wish him a merry christmas. >> a strong storm threatening to complicate holiday travel plans this day, on christmas. forecasts for driving sno snow as far as indiana and freezing rain and even the threat of tornadoes across the southeast. there are problems out in oklahoma. chief meteorologist rick weymouth is live in the fox extreme weather center keeping us all informed of what is going on with the weather. >> a really dangerous day in store for a lot of people especially across the south. very cold air it is a brutally cold morning across the northern plains. but it has stretched across

parts of the south. new orleans is 73, last reporting sunny skies. that is plenty of heat in order to fuel some of the storms on mayor way. because of that the storm rediction center has issued a moderate risk for severe weather anywhere you see the refpltd the yellow also we can see severe weather going into the overnight hours and tomorrow it's across the mid hra*pblt. we have a chance to see very large damaging long-track tornadoes, where you see the red and authors the kind that often end up causing the fatalities. you can see the big storm the cold side writ is. two different tornado watch boxes up, this one to the east will expire sooner because the next band of storms is coming through and this one here expires at 4:00. there is one tornado warning to the north of houston and liberty county and goes into effect for about another ten minutes. some of these cells potentially today and i think we're just beginning to see what we're going to be dealing with, it's just getting firing right now. here is a look at what happens over the next 24 hours. the severe side, cold side

temperatures really beginning to dive down across parts of the plains, dropping below freezing in places like dallas low 20s. oklahoma city only towards 13 by tomorrow. the snow is really flying across parts of the ohio valley and the myths miss valley, the sent tal areas. winter storm warnings in effect across oklahoma and arkansas. blizzard warnings have been extended down towards northeastern parts of arkansas where the ohio and mississippi river meets that is the bull's eye. five to ten inches of very heavy blowing snow. headed towards the northern part of the country towards the ohio valley and the northeast winter storm warnings in effect five to ten inches for parts of ohio. 12-plus will be the bull's eye. upstate new york, lak lake erie on on tear row. the cat skills, the berkshires. i think we are talking mostly rain. that its good news across the

i-95 core tko*er. it will be a windy, wet day across the northeast. a lot of people with a lot of snow. kelly we have cold, a lot of severe weather threat today, blizzard conditions and a lot of snow for a lot of people. it will cause a lot of problems. kelly: the good thing about this is it is christmas day, hopefully people will stay off the roads, stay home, snuggle up with their families and just enjoy the day. watch us. >> you have to pay attention to this one, -ts tornadoe the tornadoes can come quickly. it could potentially be be a life threatening situation across the south. kelly: understood. thank you. jamie: there's been so much tragedy to report and yesterday a story that is almost unbelievable. a community is in morning in fact after the senseless murders of two firefighters in upstate new york, and they held an emotional vigil last night in webster, it's mer near

rochester new york. they say the gunman lit his house on fire to lure first responders. two men came to help but were instead tkpwupd down leaving a small town numb with grief. >> there are people who don't have a home, and, you know, there are family members that are missing and family members that are hospitalized. jamie: david lee miller has been following the story since yesterday, and david lee the police chief himself was in tears when he reported this because four firefighters were actually shot when they went to respond to the fire. they still don't even know who may be in that house, right? >> that's right, jaime. this is a community that has been devastated. i can tell you that now we are learning very new disturbing details about the apparent shooter. this as the investigation continues into the ambush that led to the death of two upstate firemen as well as the serious

injury of two others. during a news conference a new minutes ago police say the shooter was armed with three weapons, including a semi automatic. police say spangler, an ex-con was not permitted to have firearms. the investigation into how he obtained them continues. a police chief told reporters that he left behind a multi-page note. he would not reveal the full contents of that note but said it tk show that he had a desire to create as much carnage as possible. >> i'll read to you one of the sentences out of the two page -- two or three page type-written note that really, clearly goes to his intent, quote, i still have to get ready to see how much of the neighborhood i can burn down and do what i like

doing best, killing people. >> authorities say he set fire to his own home and ambushed first responders. a police officer who arrived helped save lives by opening fire on spangler. he ultimate here took his own life. 7 homes were destroyed by the blaze. spanglers sister has not been located. the two had a strange relationship: when his mother died last year they asked that all donations be sent to the webster fire department. that's where the fire department volunteers responded from: authorities say they are going

to have another news conference later today, this now as we await further information about spangler' sister who they are trying to locate. they are searching those homes that burned to the ground during the massive blaze. jamie: anyone with any information on any of this story should call police and help them out. it's christmas. kelly: fox news was busy with some big stories this year. so which ones, jaime dominated the headlines. jamie: i know, you singing. kelly: that's not the biggest. jamie: okay. kelly: what do they tell us about the world today, columnist john fund will weigh in on that. jamie: president obama is vacationing in hawaii and while the clock particulars down own a fiscal cliff what is he doing to keep us from going offer the cliff. a live report from honolulu.

kelly: every wonder how santa makes it around the world in just one night. it's a mystery. the good folks at norad have the answer. >> i think there is a question of how santa can do this all in one night. that's kind of a tricky question. it's a good thing i read the back. [ male announcer ] this is sheldo whose long day setting up the news starts with arthritis pain and a choice. take tylenol or take aleve, the #1 recommended pain reliever by orthopedic doctors. just two aleve can keep pain away all day. back to the news. campbell's has 24 new soups that will make it drop over, and over again.

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kelly: from economic worries to mass shootings to unrest in the middle east 2012 was indeed a very big year full of some big news stories. the story that dominated the headlines the most was the bit early-fought presidential

election. on november 6th president obama beat republican rival mitt romney to win a second term. what other stories topped the list and what do they tell us about the world we live in today. john fund is a columnist for "national review magazine" he joins us to weigh in on this. john, good to see you. merry christmas to you. >> thank you. kelly: we hope you're doing well. we know the top story was the election, it was a bitter fight to the end, president obama winning re-election. what does it tell us, though, about the campaign of mitt romney, and the mood of the country then, because we had so many other big stories affect the outcome of the election. >> well, this election, i think, was a very curious one, because president obama made some history. normal lee an incumbent with an economy that weak and no particular prospects of it getting better wouldn't have won re-election. but president obama was able to take advantage of i think dramatic stumbles on the part of mitt romney, the 47% line and various other things,

absolutely. kelly: does it surprise you that mitt romney's people took so long to address that when it was out there, bain capital, the 447% 47%, it all stayed out there and it seems like his people fumbled with the ball. >> mitt romney was a very competent business executive but frankly stiff and he never really communicated with the american people. the bottom line is if you ask people on election day who they thought had a better vision and. bret: program forountry they said mitt romney, but by 82 to 16% they said president obama cared more about people like them than mitt romney did. kelly: one of the top stories that really had an impact, if you will, on the campaign was hurricane sandy coming through new york and devastating people here in new york, long island, staten island, so many people adversely affected. seeing the president become more

presidential, governor chris christie commending the president for his response. that came just before the election. >> yes, and i lived through hurricane sandy and it was awful. and hurricane sandy i think put the campaign in ae in abeyance for several days, so cased president obama as a leader and i think it ultimately helped him but i think ultimately obama would have won anyway. >> one of the gut wrenching-heartbreaking stories that we will look back on this year is what happened in in newtown. newtown, connecticut, sandy hook elementary school. of course one of the top stories but one of the saddess stories any of us have ever had to face. >> the number of mass shootings has been relatively stable over the last ten or 12 years, but this year saw a spike up. we've had seven or eight of these, they are very tragic, and the thing that we have to come

to grips with in the next year is what can we really do that might make a difference, and what will we do perhaps that will just make us feel good and won't make a difference. kelly: that is the debate that is going on in the wake of what happened in newtown, connecticut, and you also look at the colorado shooting, you know, the dark night knight, and someone going in there taking advantage of the opening moments of that, and then opening fire with a semi automatic, shooting people indiscriminately in a movie theater in aurora, colorado. so there is a debate out there, isn't it. >> yes on the other hand we have stubborn facts. most guns in america are semi-automatic, and the problem is when we had an assault weapons ban in 1994 it lasted for ten years there were 970 guns that could have qualified, we only banned 19 of them because the practical realization is we can't ban everything.

on the other hand connecticut has the fifth toughest gun laws in the country. didn't stop adam lanza, but it's also one of six states in the country that doesn't have an a sis i have treatment law which is if someone shows they are an imminent danger to themselves also or others they can be medicated or hospitalized without their permission. these are all things we have to debate. gun control will be on the table. i also hope mental health is on the table. i also hope the culture of our violent entertainment society is on the table and frankly whether our families are intact. kelly: many people already looking at awful it and putting it all on the taeufpblt the one story that is going to continue to follow us into 2013 is what unfolded in benghazi libya. where we lost an ambassador and three other americans. >> well, we still don't have all the answers. and despite the fact that this internal state department report i think there will be a lot more as we learn as congressional hearings ramp up and more people

come forward with their own stories. i think that there is a lot more there, and we frankly need to get those answers. kelly: john fund we thank you for joining us, sharing insights on the top stories of what inch folded throughout the year of 2012. thank you. jamie: perhaps the story we'll start off with in 2013 other than the fiscal cliff is the growing tension in the middle east. things really heating up. a group of nations are accusing iran of stirring unnew trouble. we'll tell you what has them most worried. kelly: it's a sign of the holiday season across the country, the alsraeugs army salvation army. ringing bells for those who could use some help. we will tell you how the donation drive is doing. ♪ silver bells. silver bells. ♪ ♪ d it tastes good? sure does! wow. it's the honey, it makes it taste so... well, would you look at the time... what's the rush? be happy. be healthy.

jamie: it's been more than 50 years that norad has partnered with santa and the elves to help track him as he flies around the world delivering all those presents to the good girls and boys. there is a lot more work and manpower that goes into that mission than you might think. john martin with our colorado springs, colorado fox affiliate kxrm tells you.

>> make sure everybody is in bed early. >> the tradition began in 1955 after a colorado springs sears advisement miss printed the telephone number for children to call santa. the phone number put kids through to the continental air defenses commander and chief's operation's hotline. since then the fine folks at norad ha answered the calls. >> this is a very fun time for us. once a year we come together and get volunteers and we track santa as he moves around the world. >> with all due respect to captain davis he is under selling the mission here, the logistics that go into this operation are nothing short of mind numbing. >> we had 102,000 phone calls. this is the busiest we've ever been at this time of day. we have 123 manned stations right now. 145 trackers throughout the day, that is phone and email. a full social media team up

there doing facebook and twitter and google-plus posts all about where santa is and where he's headed next. >> 1200 volunteers will take phone calls from around the globe answering questions about santa. >> i got one in ireland, i got a bunch in florida, and then i got some in texas. >> all sorts of questions. >> i think the one question about how santa can do all of this in one night, and so that is kind of a tricky question. it's a good thing i read the book. the time con tin aoufplt he doesn'continuum. he doesn't work on the same time we do. jamie: santa does get it done because he has all year to prepare, kelly. kelly: a lot of hard work. and all of you know santa anyway. you know how hard he works. jamie: he's real, he's real. kelly: there is. there is one week to go until the u.s. plunges over the fiscal cliff, and santa couldn't help right there. reportedly no new progress between the chief negotiators in

reaching a deal to avoid the potential economic fallout from all of this. the lateness a live report straight ahead. jamie: we'll bring you something a little special this holiday from my talented cohost mr. kelly wright. kelly: you're so biased. jamie: take it away. ♪ have yourself a merry little christmas, make the uletide gay. from now on our troubles will be miles away. ♪ ♪

jamie: bottom of the hour. homestretch for us. time for the top of your news. pope benedict addressing the faithful today calling for middle east in his christmas mess message while blasting the killing of defenseless people in syria. kelly: gunman behind a deadly ambush on firefighters left a note and saying he would like to burn down the neighborhood and do quote, what i like doing best, killing people. the gunman had served time for killing his grandmother. jamie: a police woman who killed an american contractor in kabul is identified as iranian. so far they have not found any links to terror groups. kelly: the countdown to the fiscal cliff not slowing down at all, even though congress is on break and the president is in hawaii on vacation with his family. we are now just a week away from the automatic tax hikes and spending cuts kicking

in. they could be drastic. chief white house correspondent ed henry is live in honolulu to shed some light on what possibly can be done to avert this so-called fiscal cliff. ed, good to see you. merry christmas to you. >> reporter: merry christmas, kelly. economists have warned that this could lead to another recession if in fact these massive spending cuts and tax hikes kick in at the same time right at the beginning of the new year. what they're trying to do to avert that is scaled back plan that the president suggested late last week that would basically deal with some of the emergency pests of this. extended unemployment benefits for two million people about to be kicked off their benefits a week after christmas the president also wants to extend tax cuts for the middle class. you heard house speaker john boehner say the problem there that will raise tax rates for some. he thinks that will hurt the economy, although over the weekend in sort of a holiday message the speaker suggested maybe they can

come together after the holiday. >> of course hope springs eternal and i know we have it in us to come together and do the right thing. we'll continue to work with our colleagues in the congress and the white house on a plan that protects families and small businesses. for now though, i wish all the american people a blessed and merry christmas. >> reporter: now the president friday when he came into the white house briefing room before coming here to hawaii sid similar things about the holidays but on a policy front his main message is, that he has met the republicans at least halfway on taxes as well as spending cuts. he said maybe the holidays will provide sort of a cooling-off period to get everybody working together after the holidays. take a listen. >> everybody can cool off. everybody can drink some eggnog, have some christmas cookies, sing some christmas carols, enjoy the company of loved ones. then i would ask every member of congress while

they're back home to think about that. think about the obligations we have to the people who sent us here. >> reporter: at the end of that the president ended up saying back in washington, see you next week. what that means according to his top aides that after christmas he is likely in the next few days, get on air force one, ply back to washington, sit down with congressional leaders to work this out in the final week. you heard the point everybody should calm down and sing christmas carols. i got a listen to your voice, kelly, he no you were on huckabee, singing christmas carols. you need to be nominated as ambassador to bring people together. with eggnog as president suggested your voice sounds even better. kelly: the president might be watching and listening as he spends time with his family. hopefully speaker boehner as well will get locked into a room with him and have a merry christmas. bring it home for the american people. get a deal done, get a deal done because we need it. >> reporter: all right.

merry christmas, kelly. jamie: merry christmas and have a mai-tai christmas. >> reporter: after work. kelly: after work. jamie: love the christmas scarf. pretty serious situation we're following as turmoil is bubbling in the middle east. a group of persian gulf countries are blasting iran, speaking out and accusing iran of interfering in their internal affairs. at the same time the leaders are calling for an end to the bloodshed in syria that continues to go on but the fighting as it rages on there with efforts to stop the bloodshed going nowhere. what is the next step in the volatile middle east? joining me now, jonathan schanzer, he is with the foundation for the defense of democracies, and author of, hamas, versus fatah, the struggle for palestine. how many pages? i haven't had a chance to read the book. that's a big story. thank you very much for being with us. >> my pleasure. merry christmas. jamie: there is great concern about this part of the world and the question

is, what can the u.s. do about it? >> well we have had a number of opportunities to step in and do something and unfortunately our policy has been to stand back and allow a great deal of bloodshed. we've seen now 44,000 people killed in syria. we have reports now of potentially 18 chemical weapons attacks, although these are unconfirmed. the syrians repeatedly crossed our red lines. along the way we had the opportunity to engage with the opposition, perhaps impose no fly zones, establish safe havens, we have done none of the above hoping russians or other actors might be able to join us. they don't seem to be terribly interested in doing so. we now see assad may fall. we continue to hear reports that he is on his, in his wagain i think our policy here thus far has been inaction and i wonder really what kinds of options we have left? i would actually ask the same question that you just did. i don't know the answer. jamie: jonathan, with all these persian gulf countries

though telling iran to stand down and back off, i got to ask you something i bet a lot of people out there are thinking. why is it our responsibility? >> well, it is certainly not our responsibility. although i would say that it has been the united states that has repeatedly gone in and helped to solve some of the world's problems. that is what makes our country as great as it is. that foreign policy record we have is something to be proud of. that is not to say we should be putting boots on the ground or putting our men and women in harm's way but i think we do have an opportunity, or at least, you know, a chance to start to comprise some policies that could help steer syria out of this and also we obviously need to be worrying about iran, its nuclear program and its meddling in the politics and policies of some of our allies in the region. jamie: i'm not exaggerating, but sometimes i lock my door at night i think about iran. it is so scary. if people don't follow it they should. we're a little stretched now in the united states.

we have boots on the ground and we have a lot of other things. it is very difficult to get intel on iran. they are surely fueling syria and all the violence that's going on there. even russia has been a bit hands off. what could we do? >> well, you know, first of all, iran's fingerprints are all over syria. i think that is undeniable. they continue to help the syrians crack down on this insurrection and they, the iranians have blood on their hands. they are responsible in large part for the 44,000 people killed in syria over the last almost two years. but the big issue to my mind is the nuclear program. that is what threatens not only us but the israelis, all of these gulf countries that expressed concern in recent days and for that right now we really have to double down on sanctions. it is the last-ditch effort that we have. it is the last tool that we to prevent a conflict and the last thing we want is conflict and so what we're

looking at is finding a way to really force the iranians to back down. we hope it can be done financially. if it can't, that's when we have to start consider other measures which will be very controversial. jamie: sanctions, sanctions and more sanctions and i have to explain to folks, that is file video of some of the activities that go on in iran. why? because we can't get in there to get actual video. there is lot we don't even know. you didn't mention israel and i know in many interviews i've done with leaders in israel who say we will take care of iran if they continue to work toward a nuclear weapon but it has been kind of quiet lately. what do you think israel is prepared to do if it has to? what are their capabilities? >> well the israelis made it very clear they are more than willing to get involved in an intervention in iran to take out that nuclear program. obviously they would like to see the united states help. i think really the u.s. has that global superpower when it comes to the military.

the israelis are more of a regional power around they would certainly need our help in order to carry out an attack like that. the israelis made it clear on multiple occasions they will not rush headlong into this. they say will only do it, anything, if they feel the knife is at their throat. that is actually a direct quote from an israeli official i spoke to. which means that the israelis have determined that the iranians are putting the final touches on that delivery system with a nuclear weapon. thankfully i think we still have months before that happens. again israelis will not take any chances with their security. they're a tiny country. they can not sustain even one nuclear attack by the iranians. jamie: understood. jonathan, great information. i hope people take time to read the book. i know i will. thank you. >> thank you. jamie: kelly? kelly: some folks in louisiana are returning home for the holidays. nearly four months after hurricane isaac and they're doing their best to get into the holiday spirit but it's

not that easy. and in addition to putting up decorations they're still in the process of putting their lives back together. wvue carolyn schofield caught up with one family in st. john the baptist parish. >> michael face as tight deadline. his family arrives in a few short hours. along with preparing a christmas eve meal he has to finish construction on the kitchen. >> i got done putting trim underneath the window cases because she wants the kitchen done for today. so i got a few more outlets to change, switches to change. this right here. and then finish painting the kitchen, the trim. then we're finished. >> reporter: other rooms in the house still need work but this family is back home for the first time since august 29th. he and his wife and their three children lived in a hotel room for four months

after hurricane isaac filled their home with water. he took us through the house days after the storm. >> this is the boot of the insulation where the water was. >> reporter: he spent every available hour working here, spraying for mold, hanging new sheetrock an painting. >> every day i went to work. then i would come here until 9:30, 10:30 at night. go to the hotel and sleep. get up go to work, come here. weekends stay here until 9:30, 10:0, all day, every day. i was here. >> reporter: many homes in his community still sit empty. his next door neighbors moved away. another neighbor is still waiting on insurance money to begin repairs but there are signs of progress here, even among the piles of debris still sitting on some streets. he dug a few christmas decorations out of the attic. >> i felt it would make us feel a little more festive with all the work going on because, i'm not going to lie, we've, we've had rough times going through this.

>> reporter: the family is still waiting for reimbursement from their insurance company. so christmas might not come with as many presents this year. their real gift is being home. >> this is merry christmas to us, the house. the house is back together. this is our christmas right here. >> reporter: now the rush is on to finish dinner. there's a lot to celebrate. >> it's christmas. so we're home. we're home. kelly: home indeed. more than 1000 volunteers have contributed to cleanup efforts in st. john the parish. if you would like to help you can. go to st. john recovery.com. jamie: we have a little something special for you this christmas. also more information on how you can help others. our very own kelly wright performing on huckabee not only with lauren green but other very special guests. take a look. ♪

♪ hanging a shining star upon the highest bow ♪ oh. ♪ and have yourself a very merry little christmas now ♪. kelly: that's fine. jamie: so beautiful. kelly: michael on drums. that is michael on guitar and morgan on drums. jamie: not so talented your family. wow, that's great. meanwhile one of the sounds of the holiday season. not just our wonderful kelly wright, a symbol of giving to the salvation army is ringing the bell. the red kettle campaign doing everything they can to bring help where it is needed this year. they will join us next. diarrhea? yeah. one phillips' colon health probiotic cap each day

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kelly: well they are a familiar sight during the holiday season, salvation army bell rippingers, raising money for those in need while spreading good cheer. jamie: you can imagine donations this year are a bit behind what was collected last december. here to explain how you can help is major ron bosru of the salvation army. i hope i got that right. major, thanks for joining us. i want to ask you what disaster didn't we see this year? this is one of the worst i can remember? you're always responding.

is the army stretched thin? >> well the army is stretched thin. you've had the disasters we had, natural disasters, man-made disasters and as well continuing problem with the economy. a lot of people have come to the salvation army for assistance and the american people, as they do every year, responded very, very generously. we are a little bit behind where we were at this same time last year according to the figures i had earlier in the week. jamie: what is the percentage of money people give and kelly wants to assist me getting the information out, what percentage of the money people give to the salvation army actually goes to charitable work and what goes to administrative, that is a question people ask? >> sure. well over 80% for the salvation army. differs between communities but on average, well over 80%. kelly: you're conducting the red kettle campaign right now. i heard commercials. i have seen people on the streets. so when someone gives $2,

$10, whatever they can give, that has to add up for you. are you close to getting your mark? i think what is your total goal? >> well our total goal is about $148 million in the red kettles. kelly: how far -- >> we're 2.9% down, earlier in the week. of course the kettles were out last night. i was in times square last night. the kettles were still out. i was hearing the bells ringing as we can hear them right now. so we won't know until a few days. salvation army personnel around the country today, are serving christmas dinner to millions of people. jamie: wow! working harder this year, major because i saw them in rockefeller center. they're not only ringing the bell, they're singing, and dancing. >> that is great. jamie: does it have anything to do with the economy and the fact people are spending less on their families and less to give? can the $2 donation make a difference? >> it does make a difference. $148 million can make a huge difference the salvation army will serve people in

every zip code in the united states and over 4 million people will be assisted by the salvation army during this christmas season. kelly: that is incredible. 47 million people living beneath the poverty line. certainly they need your help. your slogan says it all. salvation army doing the most good. >> thank you. merry christmas to you. jamie: i understand your wife also serves. >> my wife, major carol. jamie: thank you so much. kelly: meet that goal. >> one of the biggest christmas mysteries has finally been revealed. how exactly does the candy cain become that famous red swirl? wow, we love those. have you tried bark this year? the answer is coming up. the. >> we do custom sticks, custom cains, custom sticks. we do them for colleges. if college calls, byu, we want blue and white sticks or canes we make them [ mother ] you can't leave the table

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kelly: welcome back. some pastors in denver serving folks who are thirsty to help the hungry

and homeless. all men of the cloth, all methodist ministers, getting behind the bar on christmas eve, serving drinks and collecting tips for charity. >> a lot of folks come in here that might not necessarily to to church and might not hear about about the needs and we discovered that people are very generous, whether they're in a bar or whether they're sitting in a pew on sunday morning. >> i asked one family, would you like to take some food home? no. they said, we're living under a bridge. we have no place to keep it. >> we buy warm socks, clothing underwear for the homeless in denver. kelly: reaching out to give a helping hand, a good cause. after tending to the thirsty flock they headed back to church for midnight services. jamie: most of all, your christmas stocking may be filled with candy. certainly candy canes are hanging off the tree. have you ever thought where the candy is made or how it gets the trademark red swirl? hope woodside lake

affiliate, kstu, with the info you need on candy canes. >> we actually start out with a generic recipe for the hard candy, which is corn syrup and sugar. >> reporter: ken craft candy in alpine is one of santa's favorite candy cane companies. they start out with couple of ingredients. then it heads to the boiler, reaching temperatures over 200 degrees. that is the begin beginning. >> we make about 600,000 candy sticks a year. they range in size from five to 7 1/2 inches. >> reporter: after the candy is set out on the batch table where flavor and coloring is added it cools. a candy puller shapes the candy and gives the white color. once the candy reaches certain temperature and thickness they add stripes. if it sounds like a timely process, that is because it is. >> most customers think of candy canes in december. we start thinking in may. and so most of the production is done before christmas ever comes around. and then here we do is just

last-minute orders. our candy canes, are, they're very handcrafted so they're hand crooked. they take the hot candy. they mold it into a mold. then they hand-pack it. and we actually make about 260 --, no, 250,000 candy canes per year. >> reporter: not only do they make thousands of candy canes a year they make different flavors and sizes. in addition to classic peppermint and cherry, choose all natural cranberry, hot cocoa or peppermint bark. >> because of the new flavors our candy sales have gone up, about 20% this year. we do custom sticks, custom canes and custom sticks. we do them for colleges. if a college calls and says, byu, we want blue and white sticks or blue and white canes we make them for bby ureport report the process is long. so they use this time of year to take advantage of r&r. >> they take a week off. christmastime off through christmas and new year's to

take a break. they come back. we'll start back, like i said we're working on easter production. then they go right back to the christmas in may. jamie: hope woodside, salt lake city, utah. wish she hadn't told me. now i can only have a few. kelly? kelly: australia's and wall celebration at the fame bondi beach is a washout. usually the beach is filled with tourists celebrating the holiday. this year heavy rain forced many, to move those festivities indoors. meantime dozens of others flocked to the nearby wayside chapel where hundreds of volunteers handed out free christmas meals to more than 600 homeless elderly and others in need. that's great. that is fantastic. jamie: this has been great. three hours christmas show. thanks so much for joining you. i'm jamie colby. i will be back at 7:00 for the fox report. kelly: always good to spend christmas with you, my friend. jamie: you and your family.

jon scott is coming up with the west point holiday special but we'll leave you with this. ♪ have yourself a merry little christmas. let your heart be light. from now on our troubles will be out of sight ♪ have yourself a merry little christmas, make the yuletide gay ♪. ♪, from now on our troubles will be miles away ♪ make a wish! i wish we could lie here forever. i wish this test drive was over, so we could head back to the dealership. [ male announcer ] it's practically yours. test drive!

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